Author: Jeanne

Kristin is a mother to a super rad 3-year-old, an alternative high school and local community college teacher, doctoral candidate, and entrepreneur.

An active member of the rock climbing community in the northeastern United States, she is extremely devoted to the empowerment of women through climbing, and teaches ladies technique clinics at climbing gyms in Rhode Island.

I began climbing in 2011, nurturing my newfound obsession as the spring and summer gave way to the crisp air that provided the best friction. That fall, I went on my first real climbing trip to the Red River Gorge, led my first 5.11, and began working my first V4. Then, my intuition told me something was wrong; I took a pregnancy test before going to the gym one night, and my fear became a reality.

This edition of Gear Talk – girls talking gear and all things awesome – features Dynamite Starfish, a Los Angeles-based climbing lifestyle brand that designs tees and tanks inspired by places that are near and dear to any California climber’s heart.

We love that each shirt is screen printed with water-based inks to keep the environment in mind, and in colors and cuts that are comfy and flattering.

We sat down with founder, artist and designer Leslie Sam Kim, to talk shop.

We’re so much more than just another t-shirt company. From the design to the printing technique, Dynamite Starfish creates tees that bring awareness to the outdoors in a fun and cheeky way. They remind us of the classic crags we’ve grown to love, and encourage us to explore the places we have yet to see.

Hidden in a small valley which ends in the backside of the beautiful Xiengliab Cave lies a climbing area called “Pha Tam Kam”, 12 km outside of Thakhek, Laos.

The climbing is wild and jungly, and there are over 280 routes, 12m to 40m long, with tufas, sintering and face climbing ranging from 4 to 8a+ . The ginormous roof climbs (starting at 6b+) are particularly fun and challenging to get on.

Mary is super stoked about rock climbing because it builds community, a safe and supportive environment, trust, self-esteem, confidence and perseverance amongst locals and expats climbers.

“Most people don’t immediately think that a low income country like Cambodia would need something like a climbing gym. Yet, after living here for over 5 years, we are convinced that our beloved city, Phnom Penh, would be better off if there were more fun, constructive, and healthy activities available. We have watched the rapid growth of the economy and consumer possibilities, but no parallel growth of sports or extracurricular activities for young people. Phnom Penh is hungry for a rock climbing gym!”

From Sheryl Sandberg to Bey (as in Beyoncé), there is a certain sense of gravitas (and, quite frankly, privilege) that lends itself to the image of the woman who ‘has it all’.

For some, it is the quintessential model of balancing a happy home, healthy relationships, and a hearty career; for me, it has been about crafting what I call a ‘corporate bohemian’ lifestyle (or, quite simply, ‘work life balance’) to create financial stability while having the freedom to pursue all of my passions – most of which involve travel, climbing, or the optimal pairing of both.

Admittedly, I’d been one of those nay-saying ladies in my earlier years, and just as I did not believe that women could have it all from a personal and professional standpoint (for reasons I won’t delve in here), so I did not believe that I could ‘have it all’ as a female climber.

“What if jealousy really is a matter of geometry, just a matter of where we allow ourselves to stand in relation to another? And maybe then we wouldn’t have to resent somebody’s excellence. We could align ourselves with it.”

Sometimes envy can be our enemy, and other times it can be our motivation. Its power lies in metamorphosis; when we transform envy into empowerment, we become our better selves, and open up a playroom full of possibilities.